Some types of optical discs permit end users to optically write data on optically writable data surfaces of the optical discs. For example, users may be able to store data on the optical discs for later retrieval. Such data may include computer files, images, music, and other types of data. However, historically, users have had to label the optical discs using markers, which yields unprofessional results, or affix labels to the label sides of the optical discs, which can be laborious.
More recently, users have been able to form images directly on the label sides of optical discs, using optical discs that have optically writable label surfaces. The users employ optical disc devices that are able to optically write to such label surfaces of optical discs. For example, the previously filed patent application entitled “Integrated CD/DVD Recording and Label”, filed on Oct. 11, 2001, assigned Ser. No. 09/976,877, and published as US published patent application no. 2003/0108708, describes an optical disc having such an optically writable label surface.
Some types of optical discs having optically writable label surfaces have preformed or pre-imaged encoder spokes on areas of the optical discs. While such an optical disc is being rotated, the encoder spokes are detected so that the relative angular position of the optical disc currently incident to an optical mechanism that forms an image on the optically writable label surface of the optical disc is known. However, if these encoder spokes are not able to be detected, the resulting image on the optically writable label surface of the optical disc may be skewed, or suffer from other defects.
This can be frustrating to the end user, since forming an image on the optically writable label surface of an optical disc can take quite some time. Thus, the user may have to wait a relatively long length of time for an image to be formed on the optically writable label surface of the optical disc. Only upon completion of the image formation process may the user then learn that the image was not properly formed on the optically writable label surface of the optical disc.